Tire for wheels.



Patented Feb. 27, |900.

H. C. FB

TIRE FOR W S.

(Appncein med nur. 1, 1599.)

` (No Model.)

v advantages of economy in rubber and of the HARRISON O. FROST, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

TIRE FOR WHEELS.

sr'ncrrrcnrr'olv forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,288, dated February 27, 1900.

Application filed March 1, 1899.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRISON C. FROST, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tires for Wheels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fignre 1 is an elevation of a wheel fitted with my new tire. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a section of my new tire bolted in place in its tire-holder to the felly, part of the view being sectional. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of what is shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional View on linee 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional View on line 5 5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line 6 6, Fig. 2.

My invention relates to improvements in tires which are made up of sections that have a separated tread or a tread which is made up of a series of alternate elevations and depressions; and, further, my invention relates to improvements in tires which are solid, as distinguished from tires which are chambered to receive retaining-strips.

Tires have heretofore been secured to their wheels by means of retaining-strips which are passed longitudinally through the substance of the tire. These retaining-strips destroy the resiliency and greatly lessen the durability of the tire. Moreover, theA chambers for these retaining-strips weaken the tire.

One object of my invention is to dispense with these retaining-strips and to provide a solid tire and one which is more resilient, more durable, and stronger. p e

Another object of my invention is to provide an efficient mode of "securing the tire to the Wheel and at the same time avoid the use of the objectionable method of passing the securing means through the active portion of the tread of the tire, thereby destroying its resiliency.

A further object of my invention. is to increase the resiliency of the tire over that of known forms of tire having a separated tread, and the construction ofthe tread portion to accomplish this object is a feature of my invention. This construction also affords the absence of any tendency on the part of the Serial No. 707,282. (No' model.)

tire to pick up and throw stones, gravel, or other missiles.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tire which will allow the water of the roadway to ilow off freely between the tread portions and which will not collect the water between the tread portions and cause it to be thrown out upon the occupants of the vehicle.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tire which may be readily iitted to different sizes of wheels-without any sacrifice of uniformity of appearance in the completed tire.

My invention consists in the tire and the combinations hereinafter described and claimed. v

In the drawings illustrating the principle of my invention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle, A is the felly of the wheel, on the outer peripheral surface of which is secured'the tire-holder B. My new tire is made up in sections which permit of the fitting of a tire of my construction to any size of wheel. TheV base of the tire is of hard rubber, which gives a degree of strengthand iirmness to the tire. Above this hard-rubber base D is athin covering of soft rubber E. Integral with this soft-rubber covering E are the tread portions F, separated from each other byintervals, as shown. The tread portions lF are undercut, as best 'shown in Fig. 2, and this undercutconstruction gives several advantages, among which are, first, the resiliency of the overhanging portion G is increased, thereby increasing the resiliency of the tire as awhole; second, the opening between the tread portions being narrower at the top than at the bottom a stone ter, and there is in this construction no tendency to collect the water from the surface of the road. The extremities of the sections IOO which make u p my tire are formed with slots H, which pass through the soft-rubber cover- Y ing E and the hard-rubber base D. The sections are secured to the tire-holder and felly by a bolt I and nut J, the bolt I passing through the slots H and bolt-holes in the tireholder B and felly A. The slots H are openended and slightly elongated. The sections are preferably made of uniform length, and should the wheel be of such a size that a whole nu mber of sections would form too large a tire the total length of the tire may be reduced by cutting from the extremities of each section a shortlength, as one-sixteenth of an inch, making a total reduction of one-eighth of an inch in the total length of the section. My construction also admits of cutting from a section one or two tread portions F, preferably at a point midway between the tread portions. A slot is then 'formed in the extremity and the compensating portion inserted. In this way my construction permits of a tire of any size being made up and the uniform appearance of the ti re is retained for the tread portions are maintained of the uniform size and the intervals between them of the same uniform length. This method of securing the tire to the wheel is new with me. Where the bolt is passed through the solid tread portion a loss of resiliency is inevitable. The hole above the bolt-top must be filled by a rubber plug, and this plug soon wears loose and falls out. The holes thereby left gather stones and the tire soon becomes worthless. Again, in such a construction there is no cushioning effect on the bolt and the nut may be stripped from the threads, or if a screw is used the threads may be, stripped from the screw or the screw loosened. In my new mode of securing the tire to the wheel I avoid these disadvantages by, first', passing the bolt, screw, or other receiving means through the tire between the portions which form the tread of the tire, and, second, by providing under the bolt or screw head a thin cushion of soft rubber. This cushion being thin and veryresilientprevents by its cushioning effect any stripping ,of the nut. The advantages of my method of securing the tire to the wheel are obtained by, first, separating the tread portions from each other by intervals which are wide enough to permitthe insertion of the bolt between them, and, second, by makin g the soft rubber which covers the hard-rubber base thin ar'd resilient to forni a cushion for the bolt. The simple and easy method of securing the tire to the wheel enables me to dispense with locking-bolts of special construction and with the gripping-machines and other special ma- The only tools necessary to secure l the tire to its wheel by my method are those chinery.

found in any carriage-smiths shop.

The advantages of my tire are, rst, freedom from retaining-stri ps, with increased resiliency, durability, and strength; second, no

tendency to pick up or throw missiles; third, no tendency to collect and throw surface water; fourth, adjustability to any size of wheel without sacrifice of uniformity in appearance; fifth, a simple means of securing the tire to its Wheel; sixth, a cushion provided for the bolt-head by part of the tire itself, and, seventh, my tire is s olid and not chambered.

l. An elastic tire for wheels, consisting of a base member of hard rubber or like material, an elastic member surmounting and attached to said base member, and tread members integral with said elastic member, joined thereto by neck portions, the tread portions flattened on their exterior, elongated and overhanging said neck portions at the ends, where they approach each other, leaving a recess underneath, whereby an elastic transfer from one tread to another without jolts is secured, substantially as specified.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a tire made up in sections, each section having a base formed of a lower portion of hard rubber or like material covered by a' thin softrubber covering and, integral with said softrubber covering, separate tread portions.

3. As a new article of manufacture, asolid tire made up in sections, each section having a base formed of a lowerportion of hard rubber or other like material, covered on top by a thin soft-rubber covering integral therewith; and integral with said soft-rubber covering, tread portions; each section being slotted at the extremities of its base to receive securing-bolts, said slots being formed in the hard-rubber lower portion and the thin softrubber covering therefor.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a solid tire made up in sections, each section having a base form ed of a lower portion of hard rubber or other like'xnaterial, covered on top by a thin soft-rubber covering integral therewith; and integral with said soft-rubber covering, tread port-ions; the base of said tread portions being rounded to permit the free flow of surface water from the open spaces between the said tread portions; and each section being slotted at the extremities of its base to receive securing-bolts, said slots being formed in the hard-rubber lower portion and the softrubber covering therefor.

5. The combination of a solid tire made up of a base comprising a lower portion of hard `rubber or other like material, and a thin softrubber covering integral therewith; and tread portions integral with said soft-rubber covering and separated from one another by portions of said base; a wheel; and securing means such as bolts, screws, or the like which pass downwardly through said slots, the heads of said bolts or screws resting upon and being cushioned by said soft-rubber covering.

6. The combination of a solid tire made up of a base comprising a lower portion of hard rubber or other like material, and a thin softrubber covering integral therewith 5 and tread portions integral with said sof t-rubber covering and separated from one another by por IOO IIO

tions of said base; a wheel a tire-holder; and securing means such as bolts, screws, or the like which pass downwardly through said slots, the heads of said bolts or screws resting upon and being cushioned by saidsoft-rubber l arated from one another by portionsof saidv base; a wheel; and securing means such as bolts, screws, or the like which pass down? wardly through saidpslots, the heads of said bolts or screws resting upon and being cushioned by said soft-rubber covering.

8. The combination of a solid tire made up in sections, each section having a base Jformed of a lower portion ot' hard rubber or other like material, covered on top by a thin soft-rubber, coveringintegral therewith; and integral with said soft-rubber covering, tread portions separated from one another by portions of said base; a wheel; a tire-holder; and securing means such as bolts, screws, or the like which pass downwardly throughsaid slots, the heads of said bolts or screws resting upon and being cushioned by said soft-'rubber covering.

9. The combination of a solid tire made up` in sections, each section having a base formed of a lower portionof hard rubber or otherlike material, covered on top by. a thin soft-rub#- Vspaces which are narrower at the top than at the bottom; and the extremitiesof the base of each section being slotted to receive securing-bolts 5 a wheel; and securing means such as bolts, screws, or the like Whichpass downwardly throughsaid slots, the heads of said. bolts or screws resting upon and being cushioned by said soft-rubber covering.

10. The combination of a solid tire made up in sections, each section having a base formed of a lower portion of hard rubber or other like material, covered on top by a thinsoft-rubber covering integral therewith; and integral with said soft-rubber covering, tread portions which are wider at the top than at the base and separated from one another by open Vspaces which are narrower at the top than at the bottom; and the extremities of the base of each section being slotted toyreceive secur ing-bolts; a wheel; a tire-holder; and secur-y ing means -such as bolts, screws, or the like which lpass downwardly through said slots, the heads of said bolts or screws resting upon and being cushioned by said soft-rubber covering. t f

lvl. The combination of a tire made up of a lower portion of hard rubber or like material cushioning the securing means 5 a wheel and securing means, vsuch as bolts, screws, or ythe like, whichpass downwardly throughholes in the hard-rubber lower portion in the linterval between the bases `of the soft-rubber tread portions andare-cushioned` by thersaid thin 1 cushion of soft rubber.y

12.' The combination of` a tire made up of a lower portion of hard rubber or like material having integral therewith separate tread portions, and a thin cushionof soft rubber for cushioning the securing means; awheel; a tire-holder; and securing means, such as bolts, screws, or the like, which pass downwardlythrough holes in thehard-rubber lower portion in thek interval between thel bases of the soft-rubber tread portions and are cushioned by the said thin cushion ofsoft rubber. c v In testimony `whereof I have aflixed my sig-A nature in presence of two witnesses. c HARRISON C. FROST.y

VVitnesses':

JAMES HAMILTQN, E. A. ALLEN. 

